Art/Photography Shows

Well, just got home from a three day show of the Livingston Fine Art Association. There were two other photographers besides myself. The other two have a 'gimmick'. They have small (2 X 2 1/2) photographs of letters and will make your name or whatever. I have straight and alternate photography. I didn't sell a thing, although, if compliments paid $1 each, i would have done very well. The other two sold the names and some small digital prints and note cards. Other artists sold mostly note cards and small prints. Only one sold original paintings. My Wife sold some of her glass sculptures. In all it was not a good weekend. There were two major football games in Michigan, U of M vs Ohio and Mi State vs Penn State. It was also 'Black Friday'. I think most people were either in front of their TV or at the Mall. Guess between that and the economy, It isn't a good weekend for an art show.

I don't feel too bad though. Between the compliments and some good discussions on art, the coffee and doughnuts, it was relaxing and fun. Guess I'll go with that.

P.S. The restaurant next door came over with samples of their Pickle Soup. Very interesting!

I walked the Scottsdale art show on Sunday the 21st and attendance was what I consider light. I believe they had a better turnout on Saturday. There were quite a few photographers with really nice work and I talked to some of them besides other artist, and the general consensus was a poor year and slow show overall. Interesting tho that some remarked they did better last year.

Your experience is very typical for the midwest. I'm in Indiana, same thing. I sell my work off my website very frequently and virtually always to people outside this part of the country. I've never done an art fair, but have been in many exhibits at museums, galleries, and other places in Indiana over the years and can count on my hands the number of pictures I have sold here in 15 years of doing so. I sell more in a couple months online than I did in all those years combined. Partially, its the culture here. Art has very little value. More importantly, very few have any money. More than half the jobs in my hometown, a city of 250,000 people, pay less then $8 an hour. I'm poor, and I barely get by yet I am making more money than most people I know. Its sad. I have lived in other parts of the country where poverty was not so widespread, because jobs paid living wages, and it was easier to sell photos in those places...people had money to spend and that makes a difference.